Chapter 110
Freya’s POV
I went downstairs to find Edith, who was directing the morning cleaning in the main hall. She listened to my request with pursed lips, her eyes flicking to the moon-silver mark on my neck.
"Martha's old room?" she repeated, sounding uncertain. "It's rather small, and quite isolated from the rest of the staff quarters."
"That's exactly why I want it," I said firmly. "It's single occupancy, more private, and I can lock the door."
Edith's eyebrows rose. "Has someone been bothering you?"
I considered telling her about Lucy, but held back. Complaining would only make things worse. "I just value my privacy," I said instead. "And since I've been here longer than some of the newer staff, I believe I have seniority for room assignment."
It was a stretch, but not entirely untrue. Edith seemed to consider this, then nodded reluctantly.
"Very well. Martha's room is technically vacant and scheduled for reassignment. I'll make the change in the staff records." She handed me a small brass key. "The room is off the kitchen corridor, last door on the left. It's nothing fancy, but it has its own bathroom."
"Thank you," I said, genuinely grateful. The key felt like a small victory in my palm.
By lunchtime, I was settled in Martha's old room. It was indeed small, with just enough space for a bed, a narrow dresser, and a tiny bathroom, but it felt safer than the attic. More importantly, it was on the opposite side of the house from where Lucy and most of the other staff slept.
For the rest of the day, I kept to myself, focusing on my duties and avoiding the other staff as much as possible. I felt their eyes on me, knew they were talking about my confrontation with Lucy, but no one approached me directly. The moon-silver mark on my neck might have made me an outcast, but it also made me someone to be feared.
Evening came, and with it, dinner service. To my surprise, Mark appeared at Martha's—now my—door with a message: Alpha Thorne requested my presence at the dining table. Again.
This was becoming a pattern, these summonses to dine with him. Each time, I told myself it would be the last, that he would tire of whatever game he was playing. Each time, I was wrong.
I changed into the cleanest outfit I had, a simple gray dress that Martha had altered to fit me better. I couldn't match the elegance of Kaelin Brooks, but I could at least look presentable.
When I entered the dining room, Thorne was already seated at the head of the table. His eyes lifted to meet mine, his expression unreadable.
"Sit," he said, gesturing to the place setting to his right.
I complied silently, taking the seat that should rightfully belong to his future mate. The irony wasn't lost on me.
Martha would normally have served our meal, bringing warmth and quiet dignity to the process. Instead, an Omega server I didn't recognize placed our food before us with nervous efficiency, clearly intimidated by Thorne's presence.
I stared at my plate, laden with meat and seasonal vegetables. The food looked and smelled delicious, but I had little appetite. My confrontation with Lucy, the room change, the constant feeling of being watched—it had all taken its toll.
"You're not eating," Thorne observed after several minutes of silence.
I picked up my fork and knife, cutting a small piece of meat. "I'm not very hungry," I admitted.
"You should eat anyway. You need your strength."
There was something in his tone that made me look up. His eyes were studying me with that peculiar intensity he sometimes displayed, as if he were trying to solve a puzzle.
"For what?" I asked, unable to keep a slight edge from my voice. "What great task awaits me that requires strength?"
A muscle ticked in his jaw. "You've lost weight since returning from the Wilds. It's not healthy."
"My health didn't seem to concern you when you sent me there," I replied, immediately regretting my boldness. Antagonizing him would only make my situation worse.
To my surprise, he didn't react with anger. Instead, he continued eating, his movements precise and controlled as always. After a moment, he spoke again.
"Martha's gone."
It wasn't a question, but I answered anyway. "Yes."
"You miss her."
Again, not a question. I nodded, not trusting my voice.
Thorne set down his utensils, his full attention now on me. "She was kind to you."
"She was," I agreed softly. "She didn't see me as just a... a criminal with a moon-silver mark. She saw me as a person."
Something flickered in Thorne's eyes, too quickly for me to identify. "And the others don't?"
I laughed without humor. "You know they don't. To them, I'm either the disgraced Riley who attacked your future mate, or I'm some mysterious project of yours that they can't figure out. Either way, I'm not someone they want to associate with."
"Is that why you've moved to Martha's old room?"
So he knew already. Of course he did. Nothing happened in Grey Estate without the Alpha's knowledge.
"Yes," I admitted. "I wanted somewhere more private. With a lock on the door."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Has someone threatened you?"
I thought of Lucy's face after I slapped her, the promise of retribution in her eyes. "Not directly," I hedged.
Thorne studied me for a long moment, then returned to his meal. We ate in silence for several more minutes before he spoke again.
"I have a task for you tomorrow," he said casually, as if discussing the weather. "You'll accompany me to Selena Price's boutique in Moon Light District."
I froze, my fork halfway to my mouth. The Price family owned the most exclusive dress shop in Moon Bay, catering only to elite Beta families and, of course, the Alpha's circle.
"Why?" I asked, unable to hide my confusion.
"Kaelin was scheduled to try on ceremonial robes for our binding ceremony, but her injury prevents it." His voice was matter-of-fact, clinical almost. "You're approximately her size. You'll stand in for her."
My appetite vanished completely. He wanted me to try on wedding clothes for his ceremony with Kaelin?
"That's..." I searched for the right word. Cruel? Humiliating? "...inappropriate."
Thorne's eyebrows rose slightly. "It's practical. The ceremony is approaching, and preparations must continue despite Kaelin's condition."
"Surely there's someone else," I argued. "Lucy is closer to Kaelin's size, and she's actually loyal to her."
"I've made my decision," Thorne said, his tone brooking no argument. "We leave at nine tomorrow morning. Dress appropriately."
The finality in his voice made it clear that the discussion was over. I pushed my plate away, my stomach churning with a mixture of anger and dread. Just when I thought my position in Grey Estate couldn't get more complicated, Thorne found a new way to remind me of my subservient status.
What game was he playing? Did he want to hurt me, forcing me to participate in preparations for his union with the woman who had orchestrated my downfall? Or was he simply being practical, as he claimed, seeing me as nothing more than a convenient body of the right size?